Crohn's Disease Treatment in Apple Valley - Saint Paul, MN

Crohn's disease is a form of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The GI tract is the tube that runs from the mouth all the way to the anus. The GI system is responsible for the food digestion, absorption, and the elimination of waste products from the body.

Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis cause inflammation or irritation in different areas along the GI tract that may go away temporarily and then flare up again.

Crohn's disease can affect any part of the GI tract from the mouth to the anus and may occur in patches. Some areas may be very irritated and inflamed while other parts of the tract are perfectly healthy.

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America estimates that 1.4 million Americans are living with an inflammatory bowel disease.

Crohn's Disease Diagnosis

There is no one test to diagnose Crohn's disease and your healthcare provider may make the diagnosis after all other possible causes have been ruled out. To diagnose Crohn's disease, you may need to undergo a variety of tests including:

Blood work to look for anemia or infection

Stool sampling to look for hidden blood

Endoscopy/colonoscopy to examine the upper and lower GI tract

CT or MRI scans to view the bowel more closely

Crohn's Disease Treatment

The goal of Crohn's treatment is to stop symptoms and reduce the chance they will come back. There is no cure for Crohn's disease and because not every treatment will work for every person, your provider may need to try a variety of options to bring remission.

Medications are the first line of treatment for Crohn's disease, but there may be times that you may need surgery to remove an area of inflammation.

Medications used to treat Crohn's include:

Oral anti-inflammatories like corticosteroids

Immune system suppressing drugs

Antibiotics for infection

Anti-diarrhea medications

Pain relievers

Iron supplements

Vitamin support

Crohn's Disease Support

Crohn's disease may cause pain, fatigue, and diarrhea that keep you from enjoying life. Thankfully, the symptoms of Crohn's disease can be mitigated with treatment.